Vigil to take place in memory of murdered dad Tipu Sultan

Verity Ward

A SPECIAL vigil will take place tomorrow night in memory of a murdered dad.

People of all faiths are invited to pay their respects to Tipu Sultan, who was gunned down at the rear of his family’s business Herbs & Spice Kitchen in South Shields.

Lalon Amin

The vigil, which has been organised by friend Lalon Amin, will take place at 6pm outside the takeaway shop where the 32-year–old was shot just before 10pm on Tuesday, April 7.

Meanwhile, the father-of-two’s funeral will be held at the Sunderland Bangladeshi Community Centre in Tatham Street, on Wednesday, at 2.30pm.

It was originally hoped that the funeral could take place on Tuesday, but it’s understood Mr Sultan’s body won’t be released until tonight.

A second post-mortem examination, which was carried out on Friday, revealed that he died from a gun shot wound.

Tonight’s vigil is an opportunity for people of all faiths and non-faiths to come together and remeber Tipu.

Lalon Amin, a friend of Tipu Sultan’s and vigil organiser

Mr Amin, who also runs takeaways in South Shields, said: “The vigil is an opportunity for people of all faiths and non-faiths to come together and remember Tipu .

“Tipu was a father, a family man, a businessman, a son, a husband, a father, a brother and a friend.”

It is understand speeches will come from community leader Dr Shobha Srivastava and Mikayl Hallowell while flowers will also be laid.

Police are still trying to trace two men on a red 600cc motorbike who they believe are responsible for the cold-blooded killing of Mr Sultan, who lived in Gilsland Street, Sunderland, with his wife Julie Nasrin, 27, along with his son Ilyas, seven, and daughter Aeysha, two.

CCTV images have been released of the bike travelling along Lumley Avenue and Chirton Grove, in South Shields, before heading over Lake Avenue, moments before the shooting took place.

Last Thursday, Mr Sultan’s brother Mahsum Sultan, 24, and parents Aleya Begum and father Amin Maih, made an emotional plea to the public at South Shields Police Station to help catch those responsible for the murder.

Mahsum said: “Tipu was a family man who was involved in both communities in Sunderland and South Shields and we’re grateful for all the support we have had from the community and the police.